Ron's Departure
by Kristoffer Roux
Summary: Timeline: Dance to Kiss. HP7. Twist. Angst in the end.
1. The Thought

Disclaimer: I own nothing, but only the thoughts.

A/N: I based the scene from the movie, but every thought of Harry is from the books. I only interpreted Harry's actions towards Hermione and imagine it's me who's talking.

**Warning: No likey the pairing? Don't read. You're only hurting yourself.**

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_"A guy and a girl can be just friends, but at one point or another, they will fall for each other.. maybe temporarily, maybe at the wrong time, maybe too late or maybe forever."_

_~ 500 Days of Summer_

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**Chapter 1: The Thought **

It may seem selfish, but I don't want Hermione leaving me. Never. I know that she loves Ron more than she loves me, yet I can't help but think why Hermione's still here. Listening to the radio. Her chin at her knees. Possibly waiting for Ron to come back. I thought she was going to leave me behind this depressing tent. After all, Ron's her boyfriend and I, the Chosen One, _'fell in love'_ with Ron's youngest sister, Ginny Weasley. However, I broke up with her because of the circumstances relating to Voldemort. He might use her against me, to get to me, just as what he did to Sirius Black, my beloved godfather. Only I was too idiot not to listen to Hermione's advice that it was just a trap and nothing more, but I didn't let my feelings sink to the brim where it belongs because whether it's a trap or not, he was the only loving relative I had left. But then again, due to my stupidity and ill-thinking, and let's not forget to mention, not listening to Hermione's advice, the journey, my friends and I had, became not what I had expected it for. There were Voldemort's Death Eaters all over the place. It was a trap, and Hermione was right. I really wished I believed her that time. In that way, we could have avoided the dilemma, but I was an idiot. I didn't believe her. I wished I did.

And we ran. We tried to hide, of course, but unfortunately, Ron, Luna and Ginny were separated from us by those foul Death Eaters. Some of them fought against us in the room we were in. Neville was gravely injured, but he could move, while Hermione, _Oh Merlin knows how I wanted to die that moment_, was unconscious due to a purple flame on her chest casted by Antonin Dolohov. I couldn't imagine what I would do if Neville hadn't said that her pulse was no more moving. It kept me sane. Hermione's existence, unconscious or not, as long as she's alive, keeps me sane enough to destroy Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

After Neville told me she's alive, a powerful wave of relief shot through me, thus making me light-headed and strong enough to destroy them. We carried her and along the way, we met the others, too. Though Ron was acting peculiar and saying ridiculous comments in everything he would see, Ginny had a broken ankle, and Luna was alone unhurt, as long as his friends are alive, he's satisfied enough.

Then we saw some of the members of the Order of the Phoenix. Most especially, Sirius was there. He was fighting his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange. She shot him a jet of light, thus making him go to the direction of the creepy veil. I was sobbing hard that time. I didn't know what to do. I was in a mess, all because I didn't listen to Hermione. If only I did.. if only I did. Luckily, Professor Lupin, my dad's friend, rescued me from my own misery and told me to move on with Neville.

_What if I followed Hermione's advice?_ I pondered. _Then I wouldn't know the truth, I wouldn't know the prophecy, Sirius was never dead and he will be here, beside me, deciphering Dumbledore's orders._

And then there was the Triwizard Tournament. Surprisingly, my name got called by Professor Dumbledore, the former Headmaster of Hogwarts and also my brilliant mentor. I said to all of them that I didn't write my name in the goblet. Only Hermione believed me, though. Ron, however, didn't. He thought I couldn't get enough of the fame I have and came on the conclusion that I entered. _He was jealous,_ Hermione said. She was the only one who believed in me and helped me when almost the entire Hogwarts population thought I was a lunatic. Don't get me wrong, though. Cedric Diggory, the fake Alastor Moody, Ronald Weasley, and Dobby the House-elf helped me, too. It's just that I couldn't help but feel more grateful for Hermione's help.

There was the Yule Ball, too. I didn't really consider Hermione as my partner, so I wanted to ask Cho because I liked her in a romantic sort of way. Unfortunately, Cedric had already asked her. I was too late because I was too much of a coward. I asked her, anyway and she politely declined my request. I went to the Gryffindor Common Room afterwards, and Ron came in, saying that he had failed, too. So that left us with no partners at all. _All the good-looking girls were taken,_ I reflected. Then, Hermione came in and confront both of us why Ron and I weren't at dinner. Ginny said the reason why which made us both to shut up. After that embarrassing moment, Ron said to Hermione out loud that she's a girl. That makes the situation irritating and awkward in a way. _Way to go, Ron!_ I thought. But Hermione refused, blushing profusely while saying she was going with someone already. Anyway, I just asked the Patil twins to go with us and they accepted.

I saw Hermione in a different light, though. She was beautiful, I thought, with those periwinkle-blue robes. I didn't recognize her at first, but then I did in the end. _How could I not realize it before that she was more beautiful than all of the girls combined that it'll make your jaw drop literally?_ Ron and I didn't know that she was going with Krum. Ron was pretty mad at her and even had the slightest gut to say that she, Hermione herself, was fraternizing with the enemy. This made Hermione burst out into tears and I just watched her go away. I hoped she would understand why.

On the second task of the Triwizard Tournament, a riddle was to be solved. Hermione helped me because she's excellent in solving problems and deciphering codes. _She would never let you down, _I know. One thing was wrong, though. Is Ronald Weasley I would entirely miss, not Hermione? And Krum would miss Hermione much more than I did? I knew it. There was something wrong. I know I would miss Hermione more, not Ron.

At the third task, Cedric died and I cried while clutching his corpse. He was murdered by Voldemort and I saw him myself. Voldemort got his body back because Wormtail, the one who betrayed my parents, took some blood on my arm and put in the cauldron. I fought with him, using the Expelliarmus charm while he used the Killing Curse. I came back to Hogwarts through a portkey with Cedric's dead body. Some people thought I killed Cedric, but the ones who know me well believed it was only rumors. When everyone parted ways, Hermione did something she had never done before; she kissed me on the cheek.

Until this point, I still don't know why she did that. Maybe it's because she wanted to cheer me up because of Cedric being dead and put every emotion she could muster on that kiss. I blushed, of course, because she had never done it before. It's girlish of her to do that and Hermione's rarely like that. Maybe it's her way of saying, _"Hey, Harry, I got feelings for you. Please write to me this summer."_ I don't know. I'm confused as hell. I'm not good with girls and she knows that. But Hermione and I understand each other even with no words said at all.

And there was the Firebolt thingy. Hermione talked to Professor McGonagall because of my Firebolt. Someone gave it to me and Hermione thought that it was Sirius and McGonagall agreed. So she confiscated it. I felt bad. As in, really, _really_ bad. One moment, I had the broom that everyone desires to have, and then the next, it was gone. Just like that. All because of Hermione. I wanted to blame her, but my mind told me that she was just trying to help. I didn't though, but I couldn't help feeling angry at her. I never regretted anything. Ron was the one who wounded my and Hermione's friendship that time because he thought Crookshanks ate Scabbers. I just let him do it. After McGonagall concluded that there was nothing wrong with it, I talked to Hermione. No apologies, no anything. She knew I was sorry. I only wished I said it out loud.

Hermione was petrified during my second year at Hogwarts because of a basilisk. I didn't know how to react that time. Ron was the first one to react loudly. I wished I did, too. I wished I reacted loudly like what Ron did. But I just stared at her. Shock and nervousness were the only emotions that could perceive right through me, and I suddenly became interested with her right hand.

I know Hermione's bossy and stuff like that, that which made her cry during our first year because Ron said it out loud. Good thing I didn't because whoever deserves your tears will never make you cry. I felt the same way Hermione did. That's why I didn't insult her. I didn't pity her either. I just comforted her by being by her side, _"I'm here, Hermione. Please don't mind their insults and sarcastic comments."_

While going to retrieve the Philosopher's Stone, Hermione hugged me before she left. I was totally embarrassed by this kind of intimacy, or maybe, it was because of what she said – that I'm a great wizard. I don't know which. All I know is that I blushed by what she did.

And right now, I'm staring at her, realizing a shocking revelation. Not glaring daggers at her that could kill, mind you, … but I know that hers are deadlier than mine.

I just realized only now that Hermione was always there for me. No matter what I do to push her away, she would be stubborn enough and refuse to acknowledge what I had said. Then, Ginny came on my mind. Hermione and I would always be having something _so _intense that might go beyond friendship, but Ginny and I could never have that. **Ginny**, my love, my ex-girlfriend, the one I left because of Voldemort but I'd come back once everything's over, **is never Hermione**. She could never be Hermione. Hell, she could never replace Hermione. Hermione is Hermione. _Only Hermione can be Hermione._ My Muggleborn bookworm best friend. She keeps her promises and she's the best friend I could ever have. I like her. I love her very much, though I'm not allowed to say it. She understands me pretty well. I understand her as much as she does, but Ron has issues about himself, with his personality and so he would be having a hard time to understand her just as easily as I could. I only wish I saw Hermione in a different light faster than Ron did. Because now, they're lovers. They're more than that. They would be married one day, when this is all over.

But there's one thing I like to say to you, Hermione. _Hermione, are you staying because you pity me? _I can't conclude another thought. I would have to go process it all over again. It's the only thing I can think of, anyway. It also makes sense. She's staying because I had no family even if it makes Ron leaving her. He also expects her to go with him, thus leaving me behind. Alone, broken and cold.

Wait a second. Doesn't that mean she loves me more than she loves Ron? _Because when a person chooses you over the other, it means that he loves you more._ So frankly speaking, she loves me more. Or there are other cases, like pity. I was thinking about that.

But never mind that. I want to comfort her to thank her solely, because without her, I'm nothing. After all, it _is _proven that **Harry Potter is nothing without his Hermione Granger.**

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><p>AN: This happens before he asks her to dance non-verbally. Damn, these two. They really moved me, you know. :3

Anyway, if you'll criticize, please say it in an appropriate manner. If you want me to make another chapter, just say the word and I'll try to do it.

Words: 2011

Happy reading~. :D


	2. The Offer

Disclaimer: I own nothing, only the thoughts.

A/N: Special thanks to _**Artur Hawkwing 1, draco122, happylady, Nymphadora1506, Morphine black, JesseJamesSaintand dachshundboy**_ for commenting and liking.

** GrimmauldPhoenix:** Thank you for the comment. Is that the only mistake I have? I'm sorry. I ain't perfect. I commit mistakes, too. I'm learning. Though I'm not a native English speaker, I believe I'm not bad. I only have a hard time when to use the tenses. Thank you for the comment~. :D

Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you this.

"_Hermione," Harry said at once, shaking her as the baby-headed Death Eater blundered out of sight again. "Hermione, wake up…" _

"_Whad did he do to her?" said Neville, crawling out from under the desk to kneel at her other side, blood streaming from his rapidly swelling nose. _

"_I dunno…" _

_Neville groped for Hermione's wrist. _

"_Dat's a pulse, Harry, I'b sure id is." _

_Such a powerful wave of relief swept through Harry that for a moment he felt light-headed. _

"_She's alive?" _

"_Yeah, I dink so."_

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 35, page 594_

You know what that means. :D

** The Hermit:** Sorry if it wasted your time. I apologize for the inconvenience. I'm still an amateur, you know and I have lots to learn. Thanks for reviewing. And you know I just proved that **Harry Potter would be nothing without **_**his**_** Hermione Granger.** You just have to read between the lines, sweetie.

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_"You've got to dance like nobody's watching and love like it's never going to hurt." _

_~ Unknown _

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**Chapter 2: The Offer**

I sighed audibly and I went up to her. She stopped staring at the radio and looked at me with those melancholic brown eyes. She was waiting for me to say anything. Any word like _"I'm sorry, Hermione, but you may leave"_ or _"I'll be fine without you",_ but those are lies and she knows it as well. _But don't you see, Hermione? I'm more than broken._ Sometimes, I half-wished that you would go with Ron and leave me here alone and solve the puzzle Dumbledore gave to me. In that way, you would be happy and drowning in happiness Ron would offer. But I guess you would be guilty of such emotion that you chose to stay with me even though it wasn't any of your intentions.

I held out my left hand, then the other when she took my left. And she stood up, while staring directly at my eyes. With words unsaid, I know she knows what I'm trying to imply. She knows I could see her heart breaking and her whole persona, in a mess. I'm only merely trying to fix her broken heart and stabilize her emotional condition while Ron's nowhere in sight.

_That sounds like an affair, Potter, _a voice in my head said. I casted out the thought and just focused on Hermione. I gently removed the locket on her neck and placed it on the bed rather carelessly. We moved away from the prying Ron's bed and the memories it would haunt us with. Then, I began to act like a mental patient would, I danced. I don't know how to dance and she knows that. But I want to comfort her, to thank her for everything she did, and will and I'm putting everything I feel towards her in this awkward dance of mine.

I swayed at first, and then faster. Somehow, Hermione didn't want me to put an end in her misery, but I know she'll be thankful to me, indeed. I bit my bottom lip to prevent myself from smiling widely just because I saw her smiled half-heartedly while we danced. I didn't know what I was doing. I just imitated the people who danced confidently enough in the show when I was living in the Dursleys' back then.

And I acted really goofy towards her because I wanted to end her misery, most especially, her tears because I felt guilty, _more than guilty,_ in fact, because she doesn't deserve this. _She doesn't deserve any of this pain I had caused her. _So we danced and we had fun. Had few laughs here and there. I was proud of myself because I made her smile, I made her stop crying, and especially, I made her laugh. In other words, I turned that frown upside-down wholeheartedly enough. And now, we're only swaying on the beat of the music. Our chins at each other's shoulders. Just us. Nothing wrong. Friends on each other's arms while there's a war going on.

Breaking the moment, she stops moving and turns to look at me, like she had just realized something bad, something worse than bad, or something wrong. I look at her, too and drowning myself in those chocolate brown eyes of hers I love. She stares at my lips for a while and looks down, like she's regretting doing that awkward movement, which in my personal opinion, more than friends. She looks at the other side and sighs. Then, she walks away from me, just like that.

I feel disappointed. I don't know why. Maybe it's because she doesn't have the gut to kiss me _(or else it'll be an affair, Potter! Watch your manners)_ or I tried hard enough to cheer her up, to put an end in her misery, but she only walked away from me.

I watch her walk away, feeling disappointed more than usual.

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A/N: It sucks. D: /sigh

I'm in deep sheet now.

Should I make another chappy or should I end it this way?

I hope you enjoyed … even for a little bit.

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	3. The Wish

A/N : Thank you to _**Artur Hawkwing 1, JazzGirl123**_ and _**Lunar-Ice-Wolf**_.

**Artur Hawkwing 1: **I'm sorry, but I don't know. I mean, I'm following JKR's plot. I'm merely writing Harry's POV. But I'll think about it, okay? :D

Thank you so much for reading as well. I hope you read it when I'd update. You don't know how much it means to me. :D

**JazzGirl123: **Thank you for reading and as well, commenting and loving it spontaneously. It makes me feel so alive, you know? :D

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_"A clever, ugly man every now and then is successful with the ladies, but a handsome fool is irresistible."_

_~ William Makepeace Thackeray _

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**Chapter 3: The Wish**

_The next day…_

Hermione was nowhere in sight, guarding all the while reading and trying to decipher the children's book that Dumbledore gave to her. On the other hand, I was at my bed, arms crossed, and disappointed because of what happened last night, but I'm patient, anyway. I know our friendship will mend itself soon enough because Hermione and I are made too strong for that matter. I just watched the Snitch's fluttering wings and tried to do my part: solving. Even if it's not my forte, I would do it for Voldemort being defeated. Then, I remembered something. A memory. I held the Snitch and it hid its wings from me. I kissed it to see if it worked, and letters suddenly appeared. _I open at the close._ I got up from my bed and I said, "Hermione."

I saw her outside and I called her out. "Hermione? You were right. The Snitch is half-flesh memories, but I didn't catch the first Snitch in my hand. I almost swallowed it," while I half-ran near her side and sat down on the stones where she was sitting. She took it, and dropped the book she was holding to examine it carefully.

She glanced sideways at me and examined it again. I rubbed my hands on my pants because it was cold. It's nearly winter, I guessed.

"I open at the close," Hermione slowly said. Her brain just started processing over the information she had found.

"Yeah, what do you think that means?"

"I don't know," she responded. "I found something as well."

As she said that, I sat beside her to see clearly her discovery. She opened the book and turned few pages until she had found what she was looking for. I saw it and I wasn't really sure what the symbol is or its meaning. It looks like a triangular eye, but its pupil is crossed with a vertical line. "At first I thought it was an eye, but I don't think it is. It isn't a rune and it isn't anywhere in the Spell of Syllabry," she paused for a moment.

This isn't really my forte, but I'm trying hard to solve this one as well. "Somebody inked it in. It's not in the books; somebody drew it," she observed.

Then, I remembered something. "Luna's dad. He was wearing that on Bill and Fleur's wedding."

And we locked eyes. She was the first one to look away when she had realized it, too. "Why would someone draw it on a children's book?" she pondered out loud. I did, too, but my mind couldn't think of any conclusion, not even a single one.

I rubbed my hands again. "Hermione, I've been thinking," I paused. "I want to go to Godric's Hollow." She gave me a look which obviously means _'You're crazy, Harry. You know it's dangerous.'_

"It's where I was born and it's where my parents died," I proved to her and I shrugged. _'Please consider it.'_

She fixed her things and stood up. "That's exactly where he'll expect you to go because it means something to you."

I was trying to convince her. I should find the right words to say before it would be too late. "Yeah, b-but it means something to him, too, Hermione." She gave me on one of her looks which clearly says _'No, Harry. Someone or something could've killed us there.'_

I went up and followed her. "You-Know-Who almost died there. Isn't that exactly the type of place in where he'd hide a Horcrux?" My tone was convincing enough. I just hope she would say yes because I want to see my parents' grave. Even though it would haunt me of such memories that I don't want to remember or reminisce, I still want to see it. No matter.

We locked eyes, and for a second I had a feeling that she will say yes. There was a hesitation in her voice. "I-It's dangerous, Harry."

But I continued to be stubborn and inclined my head. _'Please consider it,' I said wordlessly again._

She shrugged and looked away. I know she didn't like my wish, but there you go, she agreed afterwards, like a _genie_. "Believe me I've been thinking about that reason, but you had me thinking that we'll have to go there."

I jumped for joy behind her back to express my happiness whilst she led the way. "I think it's possible for something else is hidden there."

"What?" I asked. She stopped walking to look at me before responding, "The sword."

"If Dumbledore wanted you to find it, but he didn't want it falling to the Ministry's hands, he'd better hide in the birthplace of the founder of Gryffindor," she continued.

And we stopped walking, locking eyes again. "Hermione—," I was about to say something, but she prevented me from saying another word because she touched my bangs, her piece of art, actually, because she cut my hair. I got a feeling that she thought it doesn't suit me well.

She eyed me from head to toe and she gave a small sigh. "Don't let me give you a haircut again." She smiled before she left. I grinned, knowing that we're okay.

You know, it got me thinking that **Hermione**, whether she approves or not of my decision or wish, **would still accompany me no matter what the danger we might face**, even if we could have died there, she doesn't care. I think she wants me to be happy because ever since I was born, fate has wanted me to kill Voldemort, therefore I have faced hardships in life that no one can seem to defeat, like my family and relatives had already died and my Muggle relatives had treated me horribly wrong because of jealousy in my mom's veins.

Anyway, I think she said yes because she wants to give it a try as well. If our deaths might come, we'll protect one another dearly and bravely. We wouldn't hesitate and we both know that. We don't have to put it into words because we would understand each other. We communicate wordlessly; that's why most of the Wizarding World thought we were a couple in a moment, like Dumbledore. And I remembered a vivid memory. It suddenly came up in my mind.

"_Well, I notice you spend a great deal of time with Miss Granger. I can't help wondering…"_

_When I knew he was talking about, I immediately cut him off. "Oh, no, no. I mean she's brilliant, and we're friends, but no."_

She's more than brilliant.

"_Forgive me. I was merely being curious."_

Dumbledore. Dumbledore. Dumbledore. How could you think that I'm like in love with her? Anyways, never mind that.

She was avoiding staring directly at my eyes because she didn't want to say yes suddenly and I would be flabbergasted. Because my eyes were sparkling emerald, and most of the girls at Hogwarts admire and love me for it, she also said that.

_Tch. If I didn't know any better, Potter, you're being conceited, _started the voice inside my brain._ You have this assumption that when Hermione couldn't look at you straight to the eyes when you were begging to go to Godric's Hollow is that your eyes which sparkle like those expensive emerald gems, she would have found it irresistible, thereby saying yes with no hesitation. Prat, _it finished.

_Shut it, _I whispered back.

I don't know why she's doing that to me, though. She's a very good friend, I can assure you that. An excellent one. **She's more than perfect. **_**She's more than I ask for.**_

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><p>AN: Oh please, please. Review. )X

Words: 1275


	4. The Touch

A/N: No reviews, okay? ): /slash wrist

Special thanks to _**moonqueen, Ms. Mimi Elphie-Amy, maraduersmad, Mashar, **_and _**Dark Lady 09 **_for the alerts and faves~.

9 Comments, 7 Faves, & 5 Alerts as of now.

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_"Friends need not agree in everything or go always together, or have no comparable other friendships of the same intimacy."_

_~ George Santayana _

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**Chapter 4: The Touch**

We packed our things to prepare for the following day. Afterwards, we apparated to Godric's Hollow as agreed. We were unaware of our surroundings, but nonetheless, we were vigilant, as well as the fake and real Moody put it. We were trying to familiarize ourselves with the foreign vicinity. As we made our way to the graveyard, Hermione was the first one to break the silence, "I still think we should use a Polyjuice Potion."

"No," I replied gently. "This is where I was born. I won't be turning into someone else."

Then, a bell rang, signifying people coming in and out of the house. I inclined my arm and she took it. We walked arm-in-arm, no blushing, because we were already doing this in the past six years.

"Harry, I think it's Christmas Eve," said Hermione. "Listen."

True enough, a choir was heard singing inside the church. Next to the church was the graveyard. "Do you think they may be in there, Hermione?" I asked. "My mum and dad?"

In my blurry peripheral vision, Hermione looked at me, and then at the graveyard, before responding, "Yeah, maybe we should-"

But she was cut off by my look so intensifying. She felt that I wanted to see them, no matter.* And so we went there, opened the kissing gate and we searched for my parents' grave, separated. I took the first row, while she took the other one.

Granted, I had found it out on the corner of the graveyard. It was hard to find for the letters could be barely seen because of the snow.

_IN LOVING MEMORY OF:_

_JAMES POTTER && LILY POTTER_

_BORN 27 MARCH 1960 BORN 30 JANUARY 1960_

_DIED 31 OCTOBER 1981 DIED OCTOBER 31 1981_

"_The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."_

As soon I saw it, I acted emotional and felt a stinging pit of loneliness inside my forlorn heart. After all, I've grown up without a mum, dad and if possible, a sibling, mainly, a family. Suddenly, Ron's voice echoed inside my mind, _"Your parents are __**dead**__. You have no family!"_

I felt a sinking pit in my stomach as I remembered the memory. I was disgusted of Ron, my ex-best friend, but I couldn't blame him. He was wearing the locket which multiplies the sorrows, angst, loneliness and even anger whenever you wear it, so I understand him.

I could feel Hermione's presence around me, but I didn't turn in her direction. As if reading my mind, she knelt and conjured a wreath of Christmas roses which suited pretty well. Afterwards, she stood up. I was about to say thank you, but I didn't. She just knew I was.

So now, I'm crying. Tears threaten to spill on the corner of my eyes. I rub my nose and I sigh audibly. "Merry Christmas, Hermione."

"Merry Christmas, Harry," Hermione replies. She moves towards me, her head on my shoulder, her right hand on my left one patting and letting go, our fingers intertwining. I lean towards her touch.

For a moment, I don't want to let go because it's like this: _we're like two pieces of a puzzle, made for each other to understand, to love, to cherish, to nurture and to protect. _It's ironic how the other night I was comforting her by being goofy towards her because it was partly my fault, and now, in return she's comforting me by giving me this kind of intimacy.

**Maybe this intimacy is supposed to be considered as friends, for comforting, understanding, platonic friendship and love, **_**or it could be more, an impossible yet a requited kind of love.**_

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A/N : When I said I wanted them to review, they didn't, but when I didn't say any of them to review, they review. Omigosh. The irony.

* By the way, in the movie, Hermione stared at Harry, then at his lips and looked down for a moment, but because of Harry's fuzzy peripheral vision and of his parents' grave, he didn't mind it.

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	5. The Lady

A/N : Special thanks to _**daysye, happylady, obscure24, **_and _**James Sirius Potter 2.**_

I'm going to end at the kiss, and I might explain why Harry and Hermione barely talk in the epilogue. Maybe it'll be 7 chapters or 8.

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_"A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else."_

_~ John Burroughs _

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**Chapter 5: The Lady**

I could feel Hermione's head buried on my shoulder no longer. Suddenly, I felt cold. There was no warmth on my shoulder anymore. She turned sideways to see something, according to my blurry peripheral vision. True enough, she whispered, "Harry, there's someone watching us by the church."

I turned slowly and there was a familiar sensation of the old lady. _Bathilda Bagshot, the one whom Rita Skeeter interviewed. She also knew about the Dumbledores. In fact, they were neighbors, Rita said. _I stared at the lady and she was about to leave, implying that we should follow her. She walked slowly and turned her back on us.

"I think I know who that is," I said as I stared on her retreating figure.

"I don't like this, Harry," Hermione whispered.

"Hermione, she knew Dumbledore. She might have the sword," I guessed. She would say yes, anyway. She wouldn't refuse me.

We followed the old lady, and along the way, I found my house, the place where Voldemort killed my parents, the place where I used to live, the place where I would live if he didn't kill them, and also the place where I killed Voldemort himself.

I stared at it, gazing at its features. It was abandoned, broken and cold. _I feel like wanting to live there. _"This is where they died, Hermione," I paused. "This is where he murdered them."

Then, we felt Bathilda's presence. True enough, she was in front of us. She looked very old, with her white hair, her hood on her head and had some wrinkles. In fact, she was short. According to Muriel, she was "gaga". I stepped forward and asked, "You're Bathilda, aren't you?" Her eyes were speaking for itself.

And so we went to her house. It was dirty, small and unkempt, like no one ever lived there. She had some trouble lighting candles and she seemed to have forgotten to do magic, for she lit the candles clumsily by hand. "Let me do that," I offered.

I took it and lightened it while we locked eyes, both staring, no one wanting to look away with no reason. As soon as I finished, I saw an odd yet familiar picture. I couldn't take my eyes away from it, so I moved closer to have at look. "Miss Bagshot, who's this man?" I asked her, but there was no appropriate response. Only she carried the candle holder and went upstairs. I followed suit, making Hermione whisper, "Harry!"

However, Hermione didn't follow us, so I assured myself, _there will be no dangers, anyway. It's only Bathilda_. _She's an old lady; I can take her if she would attack me out of the blue._

Considering the fact that it was very dark without Bathilda's candle, I casted _lumos _along the stairs and with each step I took, my footsteps would be loudly heard. I surveyed my surroundings before I went up to follow her. _There isn't any danger here, anyway. So why was Hermione whispering me like there would be?_

We were in a damp room and Bathilda was staring intently at my chest. I followed her gaze and it was the locket she was glaring at. We locked eyes and she told me to go to the corner of the room. I moved towards it and found a book. The man I saw in the picture earlier was there. He was named _Gellert Grindewald. _I supposed he was _Dumbledore's mortal enemy besides Voldemort himself._

_**It still doesn't make any sense.**_

Then, Bathilda was making strange noises so I turned suddenly, leaving the thoughts on the book. I saw her; oddly enough her clothes came sinking down the ground as she turned on something else: a snake. I grabbed a chair as my defense. _Damn it, I should have listened to Hermione again. Now I'm in trouble, and she's nowhere in sight! _I thought angrily to myself.

"Harry!" I heard Hermione bellowed on the first floor. Though it was muffled, I still heard it, anyway, but then, the stupid snake of Voldemort's tried attacking me. Not only that, it was trying to bite me, making me forget about Hermione's condition. I defended myself using a chair. _I had to run away, to get Hermione as soon as safely as I can, _I thought.

The snake hissed at me because it didn't lead me any danger at all. I held my chair, fearing of its poisonous venom. _Run, Harry, run! _a voice sounded like Hermione's told me, but before I was about to run, the snake lunged at me, breaking the wall down and to be thrown away on the other room. I defended myself while panting. First try, nope. It didn't succeed, but however, on its second try, it was finally successful. I groaned in pain. It got me. It bit my arm. It suffocated my body. All of the things it could do, it did except to _kill. _I tried grabbing something to stop the snake whatever it was doing. I did, and whatever it was, I grabbed it and attacked the snake angrily. I tried escaping with my elbows on floor. I did, but if Hermione wasn't there, I would have been found dead. Oh, I could see the headlines now. HARRY POTTER HAS BEEN FOUND DEAD BECAUSE OF A SNAKE, PRESUMABLY AT GODRIC'S HOLLOW, WHERE HIS PARENTS HAD BEEN MURDERED IN SIGHT.

Funny. I snickered at the thought. Hermione and I went up to the nearby bed. She, on the floor, while I on the sheets. I breathed in and out loudly while touching my arm. My wand was meters away from us. _Goddamnit! Hermione, I'm so-, _and she got it with a little bit of hesitance of her movement, I might add.

_It was all my __fault, _I blamed myself. _If only I had listened to her, but I didn't. I didn't. If I did, I could've avoided this. I could have! But I didn't. She was always right, how could I disentangle myself from her righteousness, from her wisdom? I should've followed her. I should've listened to her. I should've kept her safe, like Ron would, _I thought to myself pitifully.

But my conscious argued back through my mind, "But she's safe, Harry. No wounds or anything in sight. She's unharmed and she's surprised just as you are. She wanted to go, too, Harry. You couldn't blame her for that."

Whether it's a white lie or anything, it has done a good job reassuring me because it's right in most ways unimaginable. I suddenly feel fine, light-headed. My conscience is right. I have a belief that she will protect me from this mess I've made, whatever the cost is, that may be her life or whatnot. But sometimes, her loyalty frightens me. **It beats Ginny's **utmost.

We waited for the snake to come. She stood up because it didn't come any longer. But when I was about to stand up, the snake lunged at us, its mouth widened open, trying to eat us. Hermione casted an unknown spell to the snake and she grabbed my hand to go to the window. It blasted off and we Disapparated in the air.

_I'm sorry, Hermione._

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A/N : Two more chapters, this story's going to end. :D

Words : 1204

Thanks to everyone who reads it. It makes me feel special, you know? /blush


	6. The Wand

**Chapter 6 : The Wand**

A/N : Special thanks to _**happylady, Dani99, andemoon.**_

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_"Blame is just a lazy person's way of making sense of chaos."_

_~ Doug Coupland **  
><strong>_

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I got up from my bed and went outside to see Hermione. I was unconscious for hours and I had to see her to see if she was doing fine.

I heavily sighed to show that I was beside her. I was captivated by the place. It was an unknown snowy forest and I absolutely didn't know where we are.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked. Of course, Hermione was always concerned of my well-being. I don't know if I love her sisterly.

I didn't answer her question, I just said, "You outdone yourself this time, Hermione."

"The Forest of Dean. I came here once with Mum and Dad years ago. This is how I remember it. The trees, the river. Everything. Like nothing's changed," she paused while we locked eyes. "The trees of course. Everything's changed." She looked at her surroundings to observe. "My parents wouldn't recognize any of this. The trees and the river. Not even me," she paused melancholically.

I was the first to look away on her gaze. It was my fault, of course. It was partially my fault. Hermione would correct me, anyways, saying that it wasn't my fault from the very start and that it was her decision, so if she's got to blame anyone, it would be her. But the reason why she's doing that is because of me. She should've been in Hogwarts, safe and sound, studying for her future with Ron as her significant other, and I would decipher everything alone, but she chose to battle with me against Voldemort himself, despite the fact that she could die, and her parents would forget about her.

She broke the silence. "Maybe we should just stay here, Harry. Grow old," she proposed with a small smile.

Maybe she's right. We would be safe in here, in fact. Lest forget about Ron and the others, they would do fine, but Voldemort's powerful. He could make them suffer anytime and afterwards killing them the next possible second. I couldn't do it, of course. They need the Chosen One to kill him once and for all.

_Hermione's just kidding_. I sighed.

"Do you want to know the boy who was in the photograph? I know. Gellert Grindelwald," she replied and gave me the book. I took it and read it.

"He's the thief I saw in Gregorovitch's Wand Shop."

_My wand. _I just realized I hadn't seen my wand yet.

"Speaking of which, where is my wand?" I asked her, but she looked so distressed, like there was something bad happened to my wand. I repeated the question when she didn't give me any answer. Her silence spoke the answer I'd been wanting along, but I wanted to hear it, anyway, to see if it were real. She showed me my wand. It was broken into two mismatched pieces.

"After we were leaving at Godric's Hollow, I cast a curse and it rebounded."

My heart stopped beating for a second. I was stricken. I was pretty sure I had gone pale. I couldn't blame her, anyways. It was my fault, my idea of going to Godric's Hollow, and then she would correct me that it wasn't my fault, that it was nobody's fault.

"I'm sorry. I-I tried to mend it, but it's different-"

I interrupted her. "It's done."

I stood up, feeling depressed all of a sudden, and said, "Give me yours. Go inside and get warmth. I'll take the locket as well."

_Don't be sorry, Hermione. Remember that I've done more terrible things to you than you do to me._

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Words : 595


	7. The Kiss

**Chapter 7: The Kiss**

A/N: Special thanks to _**G-King713, xxBlacksxxDaughterxx, Miss Hermione Granger 1995, happylady, nette91, **_and _**HorseLoverForever2000.**_

_**happylady: **_Thanks for commenting every time. Really. It means a lot. /heart

_**HorseLoverForever2000: **_I don't know why you didn't get my other fic, **Shame, **which is a good one, I think. Harry was trying to do his work, but he found it to be difficult to, so he talked to Hermione and that's what happened. :/

Which part didn't you get, anyway?

And my other fic, **Confession, **is really completed. I couldn't add or it may be a lost chapter or something. I don't really know. If I had an idea, I'll make a new story as soon as possible.

This is the last chapter already. The long-awaited kiss of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Hohoho.

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"_Like hatred, jealousy is forbidden by the laws of life because it is essentially destructive."_

_Alexis Carrel_

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It was nighttime and I was still guarding. I was still depressed because of what happened to my wand. I knew that it wasn't Hermione's fault. If there was someone to blame, it could have been me. But something inside my brain would speak that it wasn't anybody's fault. It was unplanned, after all. We were deceived.

I sighed. I stared at the frozen cold ground while wearing my coat. I held the mirror when I thought for a moment I had seen Dumbledore's eye. There was nothing, no one at all. Forget it, anyway. Who was I kidding?

I put it away roughly on the ground and for a few seconds, I saw something. A light. No, a Patronus. Specifically, a doe. I stood up and looked at it, wondering who had conjured it. It was moving around the trees, beckoning me to join. It couldn't have been a Death Eater, anyway. Death Eaters can't conjure a Patronus. Only Light wizards can. So I followed it, with Hermione's wand lightening the way, and it led me to a river. And it disappeared, going down the frosted-iced river. I, then, walked over to the spot where it disappeared and rubbed the dirt. I couldn't believe what I had seen. Godric Gryffindor's sword was right in front of me! If only I would swim and get it, I could destroy the locket and return to Hermione successfully.

With my brilliant plan in motion, I looked at my surroundings to see if anyone would dare to kill me or I would see the caster himself. It could have been a trap, after all. I was traumatized by the last incident. I pointed Hermione's wand at the silvery sword and murmured, "Accio Sword."

Nothing happened, so I stood up and casted Diffindo and the depths of the frozen pool came broken. I moved away from the river so that I could remove my clothes and once when I was done, I walked slowly where the sword was. I put Hermione's wand near the spot and swam on the cold, cold river. It was icy cold, something anyone wouldn't want to swim along with.

I was an inch closer to the sword. As I grab it, the locket was trying to strangle me. Damn it. I forgot the locket. How could I ever forget? Regretting the fact that I've forgotten about the locket, I was trying to save myself from the pain and misery it caused me. I tried all ways by thumping my foot on the iced river, to no avail, it just wouldn't budge, or even no one would rescue me.

Just then, someone saved me and I gasped for air, panting along the way. I grabbed my glasses, shaking and said, "Hermione?"

Then it was Ron. Ron Weasley. He came back for us. To destroy Voldemort and his cronies. I couldn't help feeling happy at the moment.

"Are you mental?" He smiled.

"It was you?" I asked, while putting my clothes on.

"Y-Yeah."

"And you cast that doe as well, didn't you?"

"No, I thought it was you," he replied.

"No, my Patronus is a stag," I said, shaking my head off.

"Right. Yeah. Antlers," he said, imitating it.

I nodded, shaking still, and afterwards, I put the locket on the nearby trunk of a broken tree. Hermione wouldn't approve of this, I thought. "Okay, Ron. Do it."

"I can't handle it. I think it affects me worse than it affects you and Hermione," said Ron, backing away.

"All the more reason."

"No, I can't."

"Then, why are you here?" I paused. "Why did you come back?"

And I was met by Ron's unwavering silence. He looked away of our scrutinized gaze. I swallowed hard and glanced at the locket, "I have to speak to it in order for it to work. When it does, don't hesitate." I stared at it. "I don't know what it's in there, but it'll put up a fight, just like Riddle in the diary tried to kill me."

At the count of two, Ron raised the sword in order to slay it, and I opened it through the means of Parseltongue. Unfortunately, the locket opened rather harshly that made Ron and I to be thrown away in opposite ends.

"I have seen your heart, and it is mine. I have seen your dreams, Ronald Weasley, and I have seen your fears," it began to speak, using Voldemort's voice. "Least loved by your mother who craved a daughter . . . Least loved by the girl who prefers your friend . . ."

"Ron, kill it!" I yelled, but he didn't listen to me. Instead he stared at the two grotesque bubbles, my head and Hermione's, distorted.

"We were better without you, happier without you," Riddle-me said.

"Who could look at you compared to Harry Potter? What are you, compared with the Chosen One?" Riddle-Hermione said.

"Ron, it's not it!" I bellowed, but he wasn't listening to any words I say.

"Your mother confessed," sneered Riddle-me, while Riddle-Hermione jeered, "that she would have preferred me as a son."

"What woman would take you, you are nothing, nothing, nothing compared to him," said she.

And their lips met, snogging senseless all the way.

So that's what Ron fears? To be Hermione and I a couple? Because she's great and brilliant in every way? And I, the Chosen One, the Boy-Who-Lived whom he thinks that I love fame so much, am great, too, that if we were to become a couple, we'd be greater than the Wizarding World combined?

Incorrigible. Hopeless.

Running while raising the sword, he finally destroyed it, and he stayed there, kneeling and cowering silently, probably.

"After you left, she cried for a week. Probably longer, only she didn't want me to see. There were loads of nights when we never even spoke to each other. With you gone," I decided to say.

I paused. This is it. I have to say it. It's too late, anyway. I love her and she loves me back. I respond to her touches and as well as her hugs. She corrects our homework and I'm very grateful for that. Without her, I could have failed everything except for my forte. Without her compassionate affection, I don't know what would happen.

You know what's great about Hermione? Is that she believes in me when I don't, she believes me when no one else does. That's powerful. Very powerful, indeed.

But it's too late, anyway. I was too much of a git to know what she was trying to say indirectly because something unexpected happened. She, Hermione Granger, fell for me, and I didn't even catch her, not even a little bit, because I was blinded and attracted to another girl, which is Cho Chang, Cedric's ex-girlfriend, whom I've kissed awkwardly, whom I've spent my first kiss rather horribly, and Hermione said one thing I would never ever forget: that I'm not a bad kisser, obviously speaking, she says.

And so she fell for Ron next, hoping to heal her broken heart. But now, Ron came back. He became mature and responsible and they will have happy babies, I'm pretty sure of that, and I began thinking: she will _never_ be happy with me.

So I said, "She's like my sister. I love her like a sister and I reckon that she feels the same way about me. It's always been like that. I thought you knew."

Sister? I scoff. I don't have a sister, so how would I know what it feels like to have one?

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_And it becomes a white lie told by our Mister Harry Potter and he will regret it forevermore all because he didn't catch her because he didn't notice her, not a little bit, not even at all._

_And so he mutters to himself, while his two best friends look so lovingly sweet together, and he looks away feeling disdain, "Hermione, I'm in love with you."_

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The end doesn't make sense. Who agrees?

Muffins to the people who will review. :D


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